The Must Sees?

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Fossy
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Re: The Must Sees?

Post by Fossy »

Of my collection of some 1370 movies, 228 are pre code. Of the pre code movies I have, two are on ChiO`s list, ten on Feaito`s list, and two on Jack Favell`s list. I wonder how practical it would be to do swappies (not necessarily pre codes).
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EugeniaH
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Re: The Must Sees?

Post by EugeniaH »

My favorite silent directors are (in no order): Borzage, Murnau and Dreyer, and these are my "must sees" for each:

Borzage: I have a soft spot in my heart for Lazybones (1925). The title character, played by Buck Jones (a Western actor!), is seemingly shiftless. Through various developments, he raises the child of the sister of his girlfriend. The story is so touchingly done, and I loved watching the interactions between Lazybones and the little girl as she grows up. Some truly emotional moments. Jones was an expressive actor.

Dreyer: He made multiple great films, but The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is a masterpiece. I'd read that this film was rediscovered in a closet in a mental asylum in Europe. Fascinating!

Murnau: Again, more than one great film, but Sunrise (1927) is my favorite.
The Ingenue
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Re: The Must Sees?

Post by The Ingenue »

[u]EugeniaH[/u] wrote:I have a soft spot in my heart for Lazybones (1925). The title character, played by Buck Jones...
Say, I've got "Lazybones" in that Murnau, Borzage & Fox set, and I've just seen Buck Jones for the very first time ( in a 1939 talkie, "Unmarried" ) and loved him. Think I'll have to give this one a look.

Welcome to the boards, EugeniaH!
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ChiO
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Re: The Must Sees?

Post by ChiO »

EugeniaH wrote:
My favorite silent directors are (in no order): Borzage, Murnau and Dreyer,
And fine choices they are. THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC is my second favorite movie (only CITIZEN KANE beats it). I like Dreyer's earlier work, but prefer his post-PASSION films, especially ORDET and DAY OF WRATH. Did Murnau ever make a less than great movie? Probably, but I haven't seen it. I'd add Griffith, Stroheim and Lang, but that's merely a quibble among friends.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
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EugeniaH
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Re: The Must Sees?

Post by EugeniaH »

Thanks for the welcome, Ingenue! I usually post on the TCM boards but am now branching out. :wink:

****

ChiO, interesting that you brought up DAY OF WRATH - we were discussing this on the other (TCM) board the other day. I found this movie very disturbing - so much so that I talked a lot about it to others the following morning after seeing it. The images with the old woman (her naked back and the torture hook; her ending) were so vivid and so dark. Interesting how Dreyer explores the supernatural/spiritual with two very different films (ARC and WRATH). With ARC I was moved and a little "transported", but with WRATH I was just disturbed (not that one is worse than the other, but it had two different effects on me.)

I haven't gotten into Citizen Kane, but I only saw it once... I should try it again. :)
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